Full Circle
by Royalist101
Summary: Dot is getting more frail as the weeks go by, Dotty gives her a surprise visit however the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. As the now teenaged Dotty begins to follow familiar patterns...
1. Chapter 1

**Full Circle**

 **Chapter One**

A familiar face arrived in the square, a small leather glove gripped onto the rugged suitcase. She dressed herself as if she was much older, the only notable youthful aspect of her was her familiar plaits; her hair was still as black as coal. A grimace came across her face as she looked towards the home of her grandmas; Dotty Cotton has returned to the square.

...

Dotty made her way towards the home, being unnoticed by the rest of the square. Nervously did she knock on the door, wondering what the reaction would be. She hasn't seen her since January.

"Hello grandma" Dotty spoke as soon as the door was opened, Dot gave a surprise gasp; greeting her with joy almost immediately.

The old woman felt some tears fall down, she has felt quite lonely despite her friends and step-family regular visits, it's not the same as your own flesh and blood.

"Come in Dotty, please" Dot cried, tears of happiness; her emotions got the better of her. Her granddaughter made her way in for the first time in years.

All memories came rushing back to her, everything looked like the same as before. The home has a frozen in time feel with the same pictures, the same ornaments and the same decor. It did make you feel as if time has not moved on.

"I can't believe you still kept that old radio, grandma" Dotty exclaimed, keeping a tight grip onto her suitcase.

"I kept everything the same...well apart from my bedroom, that's downstairs now but you are still welcome to come in and I will make us tea and crumpets"

"Okay grandma...may I go upstairs first to put my suitcase in the spare room?"

"You are welcome to do anything within reason Dotty" Dot notified her with a smile; Dotty gave her a smile back.

Her face however dropped as soon as her grandmother's back was turned, her eyes watching the old woman walk into the kitchen. Thudding echoed throughout the house as Dotty began dragging the suitcase upstairs, every thud made Dot flinch.

...

"This is really nice" Dotty acclaimed, finishing the rest of her crumpets; it was almost as if she never left.

"Dotty...is everything okay between you and your mum? She does know that you come?"

"Well, I think mum is relapsing; she had a whole bottle to herself last night, shouted at me she did because I tried to take it away"

"Oh! This family! I'm going to have words with your mum, it's not right for a daughter to see her mother in that state" Dot insisted, the thought of it made her angry.

Addiction was a cloud forever towering over her family, she was not prepared to sit back and let it happen again. Of cause though, Dotty is telling her only half the story, not telling the whole truth to benefit yourself was also something that ran in the family.

"Don't be angry with her grandma, she can't help herself; ever since we heard that dad died, she's not been the same; I think she was hoping for a reunion" Dotty stated.

This made her grandma shake her head, that didn't sound like Sandy at all; she was pretty happy to see that man go. Once again though, Dotty was only telling half the story. It wasn't the way she made out at all, she wasn't some little girl being lied to anymore; Dot was thinking.

"I'm going to phone her, wait here please" Dot told her firmly, giving her a brief stare.

...

Sandy was a wreck as she answered the phone to her old mother-in-law, she was currently sitting on the floor with a wine bottle in one hand and the phone in the other. Shaking and shivering she was.

"Sandy, this is Dot; do you know that Dotty is here?" Dot asked, not having any idea how bad things has gotten.

 _"You can keep her Dot...spiteful witch; I bet she is listening right now" Sandy snarled._

"You're not well Sandy, Dotty has told me that you are back on the drink; I can hear it in your voice"

 _"Really? Well she would, wouldn't she? Did she also mention that she was the one who kept bringing alcohol into the home...purposefully trying to spite me"_

"I'm sure she didn't, she also said that you started after Nick's death; you can't let him win Sandy; not now"

 _Sandy gave a weak laugh on the other end of the phone, the mention of his name barely fazed her these days._

 _"Now I don't even think you believe that, I know you're not suppose to speak ill of the dead but I hated that man; the reason why I started drinking again was because of that little witch"_

Dot gave a sigh, she gripped tighter onto the phone wire; how could she speak so badly of her daughter? The old woman looked towards the living room at Dotty, the teenager was drinking her tea; it was almost like she was oblivious.

"Well I didn't believe that, no but please, why do you speak about your daughter in such a way? She's not her dad"

 _"She's evil, she may act like butter wouldn't melt but there's an evil in her; she's the only girl I know that spiked her own mother, I have tried but I give up...it's killing me"_

Those words sounded so familiar however Dot was now frail and it was breaking her heart to hear those words. Ethel has said the same thing about her Nick all those years ago, she didn't listen then.

"She's my only granddaughter" Dot cried, this made Dotty finally pay attention; the girl stood near the doorway.

 _"Do yourself a favour and get rid of her, live your last few years in peace"_

 _Sandy then hung up._

"I'm not being deceived again...I had too much of it in my life; the only one that never done me any harm is my poor Ashley"

Dotty gave a small frown as she placed her arms out, waiting for her grandmother to give her a hug. Dot was torn between her head and her heart, a few moments passed and Dot remained still.

"Alright grandma...I can go back if you want, sort things out with mum; it's what daughters do" Dotty spoke with a sad look on her face, she went to walk back upstairs however history tends to repeat itself...

"No Dotty...please stay, at least for one night; I will sort this out I promise" Dot pleaded, holding out her arms.

Dotty gave a small smile as she gave her grandmother a hug, it seems that once a fool always a fool.

...

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

Dot managed to make her way upstairs, gripping tightly onto the handrail; it has been a few hours since Dotty's return. She has been up there for quite time and it made Dot curious, she wondered why Sandy spoke so badly of her daughter. The last time she visited, things seemed alright but little did she know, it was a big performance for her benefit. The harmony wasn't real. Dot looked through the ajar door of the spare room; her granddaughter had put up a photograph of her deceased father on the table by the bed. As well as an old cigarette lighter and a cross necklace, like some sort of cultish shrine it was. Dot opened the door wider, making her granddaughter jump slighty.

"Grandma, you scared me; I was just sorting out my things; I can get rid of them if you want?" Dotty asked, understanding how it might look.

She was very much aware of the memories it might bring, the reason why she brought them in the first place. Dot walked further in to find a couple of wine bottles, a couple of cigarette packets and a simple photograph of her mother.

"What is all this for? You're too young to have any of this, how did you get it?" Dot questioned.

"It's just a reminder, that's all; I got these from discount stores, older boys mostly"

"Older boys? You're only fifteen Dotty, I don't suppose you told them though?"

"No, I never told them; I just gave them the money and they brought these things for me; I would never use them, it's just that mum and dad loved this stuff and well, I don't have many birthday cards from them"

Dot gave a sigh, what a sad state of affairs; fifteen years old she was and she never knew her parents sober. She was the product of a drug den, that was the truth; normal life she has never really had. Considering things, she could have turned out a lot worse; Dot knew that very well.

"Your mum said you spiked her...what did she mean by that?"

"It wasn't as bad as it sounds, she wasn't sleeping grandma; I had to give her sleeping tablets somehow"

"Was she taking anything else other then drink? She was saying all sorts of things about you on the phone, how you're evil; not normal"

"Just painkillers, she takes them quite a lot; I'm sure it's nothing though" Dotty nervously replied, trying to apply reason.

"I wish I seen it when I came to see you last but my brain's not as good as it once was, I should have seen it"

"It's not your fault, mum's really good at acting like everything's okay; she sometimes fools me"

"Oh you are a good girl...come down when you're ready, I'm going to watch some telly" Dot informed her with a smile.

...

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

The bedroom window was open all night, purposefully letting in the cold draught; the spare room bedroom was also open for the same reason. Dot has been slightly shivering all night downstairs, Dotty shut it as the daylight hit. Walking downstairs in her nightgown, she looked as if she stepped right out of a Charles Dicken's novel. She opened her grandmother's bedroom door, the old woman looked quite cold.

"I will make you some warm tea" Dotty simply told her with little emotion, leaving the door slightly ajar; her mind games had already begun.

Dot was quite confused, she knew not where the cold air was coming from last night; she grabbed her dressing gown. Wrapping it around herself quickly, walking towards the heater and switching it on; the kettle was already boiling.

"You had a good sleep last night?" Dot asked her granddaughter, entering the kitchen.

"The best I had in ages, it's a lot warmer then back at home; our heater has been broken for a few weeks and mum didn't bother to fix it"

"Funny that because I was cold all night, must just be my age" Dot presumed, sitting down; giving a small smile as Dotty passed her a cup of warm tea.

Dotty say on the opposite side with her own cup of tea, things were all calm again. Dot just kept looking at her granddaughter, trying to see what Sandy saw. Though she could not, she loved her granddaughter too much to see her as anything but her special little girl. She was her only blood related granddaughter.

"I will try and speak to your mum again today, someone has to make her see sense; why don't you go to the shops and get me some more milk later"

"Okay grandma"

...

A few hours had passed, Dot has switched on the televison; Dotty was sitting with her grandmother as if she never left. The sound of the key turning in the front door was heard. Dot had totally forgotton the fact she has told nobody that her granddaughter has returned. Sonya walked in and was very surprised to see Dotty.

"Oh Sonya...you remember Dotty don't you?" Dot asked her in an almost nervous tone of voice.

"Yeah I do...I didn't know she was coming to visit though"

"No neither did I, she came yesterday afternoon; not long after you left actually; it was a lovely surprise"

"I bet...it's a bit impractical though; haven't you got school at this time of year?"

"I don't see the point in school, I haven't gone in for weeks; my mum kept getting letters about it though"

Dot gave her a surprised look, this was news to her; no wonder Sandy sounded like a wreck on the phone. Sonya gave a sigh, she hasn't changed one bit really; she still does things with little thought about the consequences. Almost as if she can't see it though of cause the full story was not yet told.

"You do know your mum could go to prison for that? If you refuse to go in, she will be fined and then sent to prison; come on Dotty, you're not a little girl lying about her nan abusing her anymore, think about this"

"Grandma...don't let her talk to me like that" Dotty pleaded, holding onto her arm.

"Sonya, she's been going through a very hard time lately; her mum had relapsed and has been drinking again" Dot spoke up, ignoring the real problem here; just sweeping it under the carpet.

"Oh...well she still doesn't deserve to go to prison because Dotty refuses to go to school; Bex would never let that happen to me, no matter how bad things got"

"It might do her good" Dot replied with little emotion, almost as if she didn't understand what's going on.

Sonya shook her head, no matter what; Dot will never learn when it comes to her scheming relatives.

...

Later in the day, Dot was going through some contacts again in her book full of people's numbers. She wasn't quite as oblivious she made out, since Dotty would be under her roof; the local Walford High School was where she would be attending until things settled at her mother's.

...

TBC


End file.
